Illuminated sign.



J. HTGHNBR.

' ILLUMINATED'SIGN. APPLIUATIONTILBD 1120.28, 1909.

987,070. PatentedMau:y 14, 19121.

WVG 116.55%. lriven'or. Joseph N-obchner, by

JOSEPH I-IOTCI-INER, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

ILLUMINATED SIGN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 14, 1911.

Application filed December 28, 1909. Serial No. 535,269.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH I'Iofroriivnn, citizen of the United States, residing at San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented a new and useful Illuminated Sign, of which the following is a speciication in such full and clear terms as will enable those skilled in the art to construct and use the same.

This invention relates to electric signs, and its object is to produce a sign which is of especial advantage as a day sign as well as a night sign, the letters of the sign being spaced from the sign body.

Another object of the invention is to space the letters from the sign body in such a man* ner as to give a natural shade eii'ect in addition to the painted shade eiiect given the letter itself.

Another object of the invention is to produce a letter which can be hung in place in front of the sign sockets by means of hooks secured to said letter, said hooks passing behind plates secured to the sign body.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent as the description proceeds.

In the drawing, in which the same numeral of reference is applied to the same portion throughout the several views, Figure l is a perspective view of a letter, the lamps being removed from the sockets. Fig. 2 is a front view of a portion of one of the lett-ers, showing the hook punched out of the metal of which the letter is made. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a portion of the same letter, showing the hook in side elevation. Fig. 4 is a portion of a sign body showing the socket and letter-holding plate. Fig. 5 is a front elevation of a portion of the sign body, showing one of the socket plates. Fig. 6 is a front elevation of a portion of one of the letters, showing the manner in which the steadying foot is punched out. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of a portion of one of the letters, and a portion of the sign body, illustrating the manner in which the steadying toot bears on the sign body when the letter is in place; and Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a sign, the lamps being shown on two of the letters only.

The numeral 1 represents the sign, the body of which may be of any desired material, and which has a series of openings therein to correspond with the location of the desired letter. The ordinary lamp sockets 2 are secured in said openings by means of the base sockets 3, wires 4 and 5 leading into said base socket 3. At the junction or' the two sockets 2 and 3 a sheet metal plate 6 is secured; this plate has ears 7 and S turned down on the upper corners thereof. This construction leaves a small slot between the sign body and the plate 6, there being such a number of these plates as may be desired for the given sign. The letters comprise plates 10, having shaded portions 11, and reflectors 12, the reflectors being so placed as to bring out the shade effect on the lower part of the elements of the letter. At a number of places in the elements of the letter there are openings made through which the base of an electric lamp may be inserted in the socket 2. These openings are punched out, and are allowed to remain integral with the letter, and :torm parts 13 eX-,

tending toward the sign body, and have hooks 14. Several of the openings are thus equipped with the hooks 14, in order that the letter may be easily hung in place on the sign body. These openings not so equipped with hooks 14 are provided with steadying feet 15, which hold the letter iirmly in position away from the sign body. Thus the sign character will be rigidly braced adjacent to each of the socket openings. After the letter has been hung in place, the lamps 16 may be inserted in the holes in the elements of the letter, and screwed into the sockets 2. It will be understood that any character, number or letter may be constructed in the manner here outlined, and this specification is intended to be a disclosure of such a construction.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is as follows:

1. In a sign, a sign body, a character detachable from the sign body and having a plurality of openings along the body of the character, hooks integral with said character and adjacent said openings in said character, means secured to the sign body to hold said hooks, and means to illuminate the letter, as set forth.

2. In a sign, a sign body, a character detachable from the sign body and having a plurality of openings along the body of the character, hooks k*integral with' said letter Aand adjacent *certainY of said openings,

steadying` feet integral With the character and adjacent other openings therein, and means to illuminate the letter, as set forth.

3. In an illuminated sign, the combination of a sign body, a character shaded upon one side of each velement thereof, a reflectorfor said character placed on the opposite side of the character from the shading thereof,

means to secure said character at a short distance from thesign body,v and means to lny hand this 17th day of December A. D. 15

1909, in the presence of the two subscribed Witnesses. Y

JOSEPH HoToHNER.

IVitnesses: f

ROSWELL P. ROGERS, lSIDNEY HOTCHNER.

Copiesof this patent may be obtained 'for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

- 'Washingtom D. C. v 

